Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 151

The mid-week series against the KP Stars was a success, as was the weekend series against the Dongseong Hornets.

With the week finishing so well, the formal meeting between the families on Monday also went smoothly.

Everything is falling into place so perfectly that I can’t help but wonder if things are *allowed* to go this smoothly.

The team is in first place in the league.

I’m still maintaining legendary season stats.

And on the personal front, the wedding plans are progressing nicely.

But there’s one word that’s been bothering me all week:

“Clutch.”

That single word, which governs both victory and defeat, has recently become strangely muted for me.

“Wanting to win… what exactly *is* that?”

It’s a unique trait where the buff [a temporary increase in stats or abilities] activates not when I’m winning, but when I *want* to win.

I’ve only pitched one inning with this trait active, so the sample size is probably too small to draw any real conclusions.

Frankly, it’s possible that I was just in bad shape that day, so the buff didn’t make a noticeable difference.

But I’ve been living with this system for four and a half years now.

“Is there a separate time when I *really* want to win?”

I’ve come to the conclusion that this system might not be talking about a simple concept of winning or losing.

Is my desire for victory lacking? Or is my passion insufficient? Or am I still not skilled enough?

“…No.”

I always crave victory. I pour my passion into winning. And haven’t I proven my skills enough by now?

“You’ve arrived, sir!”

“Oh, you’re here early.”

“Yes! To think it was a fan vote and not the manager’s recommendation… I was so moved that I actually arrived last night and have been doing somersaults ever since!”

“……”

The headache-inducing thoughts were briefly paused by Myungjin’s nonsense, which pierced my ears as soon as I arrived at the stadium.

“…Turn around.”

“Pardon?”

“Do a somersault.”

“Actually, the somersault is such a secret technique that others might try to capture me if they see it. I don’t want to hurt you, *hyungnim* [older brother or respected senior].”

Oh, please.

He’s thirty now, but in some ways, he’s quite remarkable. How can he live without losing his initial enthusiasm?

“*Sunbaenim* [respected senior], hello! Greetings from an *insa* [an insider or someone who is well-connected], this is Lee Myungjin!”

I suddenly remembered when I first met Myungjin. I should have known what kind of guy he was back then and stayed far, far away.

“Actually, this somersault is a technique I’ve been honing since I was 14 years old. It’s the only technique that secret societies I mentioned before can use to verify each other’s identities…”

How did this happen?

“…Let’s go in.”

“Yes!”

I quickly ushered him toward the dugout, afraid he might write a dissertation on somersaults if I left him there any longer.

“*Hyeongnim*.”

“What.”

“Shall I teach you how to do a somersault? You seem very curious.”

Myungjin, please, just stop.

Just when I was about to become a graduate student dragged around by the professor of somersault studies…

“Why the sudden somersaults?”

“Oh, you’re here.”

“Do you want to do somersaults with us?”

Sunghyun appeared.

*Ah, thank goodness*, I thought, *finally someone to stop Myungjin’s rampage.*

“How do you do it?”

“If you raise both hands and feet, that’s a somersault, disciple.”

“Oh, master.”

But that was wishful thinking.

*Ah, right, they’re friends.*

Listening to the thirty-year-old duo’s *tikitaka* [a back-and-forth exchange, often playful] as we walked into the stadium was truly mind-numbing.

Quickly, I need to change the subject.

“That… what was it? That thing, over there.”

“What?”

“No, I was wondering why Eunseo isn’t here.”

“Oh, you’re right?”

“I think she’s over there, *hyeongnim*.”

Thank goodness, it worked.

Perhaps because he’s a shortstop with a wide field of vision, Myungjin spotted Eunseo, who was far away, running around with a camera.

“But what is she doing over there?”

Eunseo is the PD [production director] for the Wonha Challengers’ official *MiTube* [Korean slang for YouTube] account. The videos Eunseo uploads are naturally aimed at Wonha Challengers fans.

Therefore, to cater to the tastes of the main customer base, Eunseo’s videos feature the Wonha Challengers players.

But……

“Who knows?”

“Maybe she’s filming something else.”

“Why go film other teams’ players?”

Eunseo’s camera lens was pointed at players from other teams who were participating in the All-Star Game, not us three.

“I don’t know, Myungjin, let’s go prepare for the race.”

“Ah, okay.”

“What are you up to, *hyeong*?”

“Networking.”

“…What’s that?”

Unlike Sunghyun, who didn’t understand what I meant…

“Please include me later, *hyeongnim*.”

“Come quickly.”

“Yes, sir!”

Myungjin seemed to understand right away.

*Ah, no. If that happens, I’ll be just like Myungjin.*

“Hoo….”

With the storm-like thirty-year-old duo gone, I felt a great sense of peace amidst the hustle and bustle.

As I looked around the stadium again with a calm mind…

“You’ve arrived, *sunbaenim*.”

“Yes, you’ve arrived.”

The first opponent of networking approached.

“Congratulations on being the top vote-getter in the bullpen pitcher category, *sunbaenim*.”

“Um… Hyunjin.”

“Yes, *sunbaenim*.”

“Didn’t I ask you before?”

“What request are you referring to?”

“Please, *please* don’t greet me like that in front of so many people.”

“If it’s to show my respect for *sunbaenim*, I’m not ashamed of this much greeting at all.”

No, *I’m* the one who’s embarrassed.

“…Okay. Thanks.”

“It’s nothing, it’s only natural.”

Oh, please.

My head throbs whenever I meet him.

“How do you feel about being at the All-Star Game after so long?”

“How would I feel? Great.”

“This All-Star Game will also be a wonderful All-Star Game thanks to *sunbaenim*’s participation.”

“Hyunjin.”

“Yes, *sunbaenim*.”

“Just one verse, please [meaning, tone it down a bit].”

“…Yes.”

With that, I wandered around the stadium with Hyunjin.

Using the time before the main event, there were many kinds of people in the open stadium.

Fans freely playing catch or getting autographs from their favorite players.

Players readily giving autographs or showing off their form while watching fans play catch.

And broadcasting companies or club *MiTube* PDs happily capturing those moments on camera.

“Come to think of it, doesn’t your team have that too? That *MiTube* thing.”

“That’s right. It’s not as good as the Wonha Challengers club, but it’s getting good reviews. Have you ever seen it?”

“Not really. I’m too busy watching our club’s stuff.”

“That’s a shame.”

Why are *you* the one who’s disappointed?

“Speaking of which, would you like to say hello?”

“Say hello to what?”

“That’s our PD over there.”

In the place Hyunjin pointed, a well-built man was holding a camera and smiling brightly.

He was filming Dongseong’s shortstop, Choi Yonghwan, and a fan who was playing catch with Choi Yonghwan.

*Wow, what a great scene. Really great. Should I try filming something like that later?*

“PD-nim [term of address for a PD].”

“Ah, Hyunjin-ssi. Oh, Hanwool-ssi is here too, hello.”

“Hello.”

When Hyunjin called out, the Dongseong PD bowed his head towards me. Even so, the camera filming Choi Yonghwan didn’t shake even a little.

After giving a brief greeting, I stepped back a little and watched the filming scene.

After the catch, the fan bowed with tearful eyes, Choi Yonghwan smiled and shook hands, and the Dongseong PD looked at the scene with a satisfied expression.

*Good.*

When the filming in that area was over, the Dongseong PD and Choi Yonghwan approached together.

“Ah, Hanwool, hi.”

“That’s a great scene, man.”

“I’m a bit handsome, you know.”

“Are you crazy.”

“What.”

Choi Yonghwan, with whom I had some acquaintance, finished his greeting lightly and disappeared to prepare.

Then, the Dongseong PD started filming me with his camera, looking like he had caught a big scoop.

“Okay, Kim Hanwool, hello!”

“Hello….”

*What is this?*

“Probably most KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] fans, as well as Dongseong fans and Wonha fans, know: Kim Hanwool and Lee Hyunjin are quite close, right?”

“Ah… that’s right. We’ve been *sunbae-hoobae* [senior-junior relationship] since high school.”

“So you’ve been friends for almost 15 years?”

“Uh… it’s a little less than 15 years, but roughly around that.”

“Having watched Lee Hyunjin for so long, what is Lee Hyunjin like from Kim Hanwool’s perspective?”

“Hyunjin?”

I looked at Hyunjin, asking for help in this sudden interview.

“Feel free to say anything.”

He *says* that, but he has quite an expectant look on his face.

“You all know Hyunjin. He’s the best pitcher in the country.”

“Thank you, *sunbaenim*.”

*Ah, again. Another 90-degree bow.*

“Please edit this out; my image will be ruined.”

“It’s okay, you’re already famous.”

“What’s famous?”

“You haven’t seen our stuff, have you? Kim Hanwool is always mentioned when we do interviews with Lee Hyunjin.”

“……”

*Seriously, he’s really severe.*

“From the perspective of Kim Hanwool, whom Lee Hyunjin so dearly cherishes, respects, loves, and reveres, are there any shortcomings in Lee Hyunjin?”

I glanced at Hyunjin once more, and this time he looked quite nervous.

“…It would be perfect if he didn’t do things like just now.”

I don’t know whether to say it’s fortunate or disappointing.

Hyunjin was staring at the camera lens with a complex expression.

“Ah, and the Wonha Challengers are in first place in the league this season. Any comments?”

“Everyone is doing well. Thanks to them, I’m comfortable.”

“After the All-Star break, Wonha has a series with the second-place Sangsoo, and then another series with the third-place Dongseong right after.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“How do you predict the Wonha Challengers will do next week!”

“6 wins.”

The answer came out like a firm block of wood.

“Okay, Kim Hanwool said 6 wins. Dongseong has a series with the fourth-place Sungwoon, and then a series with the first-place Wonha on the weekend. Lee Hyunjin, how do you predict your team will do next week!”

“6 wins.”

*This bastard.*

“Hey, that’s why you’re not improving.”

“What do you mean?”

“What, hey, that means Dongseong will sweep Wonha.”

“If *sunbaenim* says so, doesn’t that mean Wonha will take the sweep series against Dongseong?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“No, isn’t it obvious that Dongseong will sweep the series? Why don’t you know that?”

*This punk.*

“Ah, thank you for the interview.”

*What.*

“Is that the end?”

“Yes. I think it would be good to cut it off right there, where you two were bickering.”

“Then what about my image?”

“Who knows?”

*You’re being so harsh because it’s another team.*

“Originally, I was going to interview only Hanwool-ssi separately, but Hyunjin-ssi didn’t seem to want to leave.”

“But isn’t that a bit of plagiarism?”

“Hey, that’s how everyone lives. I told the Wonha PD-nim about it, and they said it was okay. And I’m not going to ask everyone else, just Hanwool-ssi.”

*What plagiarism? Why is Eunseo’s name coming up here?*

“…Hey, what did our PD do that’s plagiarism?”

“Didn’t you know? Earlier… ah, I was told not to talk about it… it’s a bit difficult to say.”

*Ah, what did you say?*

“You were talking about me, right.”

“That’s right.”

“So what did you say?”

“I don’t think I should say.”

“……”

*Why is the anxiety mine?*

“That little rascal, what is she up to again?”

“Don’t worry. Everyone only said good things.”